Scarificator.



' W. NIERGARTH.. l'

SUARIPIGATOR.

APPLIUATION FILED 00T. 15,1908.

931,791. Patented Aug.24.19o9.

Ammzw, E. GRAHAM om PuoTO-umomnnins, wAsulNoT N UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE.

WILLIAM NIERGARTH,Y0 F PEKIN, ILLINOIS.

SCARIFICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led October 15, 1908.

Patented Aug. 24, 1909. seran No. 457,920.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM NmRGARTH,

` a citizen of the United States, residing at efficient instrument of this class having an' adjustable knife or blade operated by spring actuated mechanism for making incisions of .different depths in the surface of the body.

In operations where incisions are to be made in unusually sensitive parts, such as abscesses and carbuncles, the instrument is extremely valuable because of its almost instantaneous action, as by reason of the rapid movement of the knife, the pain accompanying operations on sensitive parts is reduced to the minimum land the suffering of the patient greatly lessened.

With this" and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed and illustrated in the drawing, in which r- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved scarilicator; Fig. 2 is a vertical section vpassed through the apertures designed to receive the members 10 and 22 in Fig. 1, the members 10 and 22 being shown in elevation; Fig. 3, a top plan view of the instrument removed fromvits case; Fig. 4, a bottom plan view of the same;. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view, the cutting plane being passed through the aperture designed to receive the member 22 in Fig. 1 and longitudinally of the spring 18; Fig. 6, a side view of a modified form of knife or blade.

Like reference numerals are used for the same parts in all the figures.

In the drawing, 1 indicates a fiat metal plate on which all the parts of the scaricator are attached. In the preferred form of the instrument, such as that shown in the drawing, one edge of the plate is straight and its opposite edge made semicircular in form to reduce the size of the instrument as much as possible and yet accommodate the mechanism. A circular opening 2, concentric with the aXis of the semicircular edge of plate 1, is made through said plate to form a bearing for a downwardly projecting rota- `laterally projecting arm table sta 3 around which a helical spring 1 is coiled and to which it is fastened. The opposite end of the spring is looped, and attached to a post 5 that projects downwardly from the'underside of the plate 1. Two like posts 5ZL are similarly attached to the plate and serve as supports for the instrument when the latter is placed in its case 6.

In the upper side of the plate 1 is a smaller plate or disk 7 provided with a 8, said plate or disk having a polygonal opening in its center to receive a similarly shaped projection 9 on the upper end of the staff 3. A screw stem 10 extends upwardly from the projection 9 in the aXis of the staff 3 for a nut 11, preferably carrying a pivoted ring 12 by which it is turned.

Supported upon the disk 7 is a blade or knife 13 of any suitable shape having a cutting edge 14 and provided with a longitudinal slot 15 opening through one end of the knife for the screw stem 10 to pass through. The blade 13 when at the limit of its movement in either direction lies just within the straight edge of the plate 1. But when making an incision, the blade swings in a curve about the aXis of the disk 7 and passes outside the edge of the plate. When in position, the knife rests flatwise on the disk and is held tightly thereon by the nut 11 and a stud 16 on the disk which enters one of a series of openings lformed in one longitudinal edge of the blade, as shown. The depth of the incision desired is determined by moving the blade longitudi nally on the screw stem before finally tightening the nut.

The spring 4- is held under tension and the knife in position to operate, by a trip device 17 which comprises a fiat spring 18 riveted at one end only on the under side of the plate 1 near one edge and extending along the plate in contact therewith at such an angle as to pass under the arm 8 on the disk 7. A lug 19 projects upwardly from the free end of said spring through a hole in the plate 1 and engages by its vertical edge 20 with the forward edge of the arm 8 when the disk 7 is rotated rearwardly by means of the nut 11, the spring 4 being wound up at the same time. Secured to the flat spring 18 between its fixed end and the lug 19 is a stem 21 passing through a hole in the plate ment 28 on tlie plate l, against. which theV arm 8 strikes. The caseG for the scarificator comprises a box formed with a flat bottom and vertical sides of the same size and shape as the plate l which fits snugly in the ease with the posts 5 and 5@l resting on the bottom.

A flat plate 24, hinged to the sides of the case near the Vstraight side 25, forms a cover for the instrument.v A hole 26 is cut in the top plate 24C through which the screw and 'nut project, and a smaller hole 27 gives access to the trigger button 22. A slot 28 is made in the straight side 25 of the ease for the knife to pass through.

yTo use the scariicator, the cover plate 2er Aof the case is raised and assuming the parts to be in the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, the nut is loosened and the blade moved longitudinally the desired distance and again secured by tightening the nut.v The cover plate is then Closed and the nut turned to the right until the arm 8 rides over the inclined upper surface of the lug 19, and depresses the trip device. After the arm has passed across the lug it springs Vup in front of said arm and locks it set.

The blade at the saine time is swung backward to its set position. Now, by holding the case with its straight side over the spot where the incision is to be made, the button is depressed which immediately releases the blade and inflicts upon the tissues a straight incision having a curved lower edge. Instead of slotting the blade 13 for the purpose of adjusting it, a longitudinalseries of holes 29 may be made through the blade, as indicated in Fig. G.

I claim 1. In a scaricator, a spring-actuated rotatable disk, a blade carried by and projectspring.

1a. spring,

ing radially from the disk, `andmeans for -Ylongitudinally adjusting the blade.

2. In a scarilicator, a spring-actuated rotatable staff, a disk mounted on the staff, a

blade carried by and projecting radiallyfrom t-he disk, said blade having a longitudinalslot to receive the sta, and vmeansfor longitudinally adjusting the blade.

3. In a scariticator, a spring-actuated rotatable staff, a disk mounted on the staff, an arm projecting fromthe disk, a detent engageable with the arm, a stop in thefpatli of the arm `for limiting the rotation of the disk, and a blade carried by the disk. L

4f. A scarieator comprising a longitudinally adjustable blade adapted to swing in the are of a circle, a plate supporting said blade, afspring, a staff adapted to be rotated by said spring and carrying said plate, a screw stem on said staff extending upwardly lthrough a slot in said blade by means of 4which 'said blade is made adjustable, and a nut on said screw stem for fastening said blade on the plate and for tensioning said 5. A nally adjustable blade adapted to move in the are of a. circle, a plate supporting said blade and having a laterally projecting arm,

said spring and carrying said plate, a stud on said plate adapted to enter an opening in the blade, a screwY lstem onn the staff eX- tending through a slot in said blade, a nut on said stem for fastening said blade on the vplate and for tensioning the spring, a trip device for holding the spring under tension and releasing lthe same, and an abutment for limiting the movement of said blade.'l

a staff' adapted to be rotated by scaricator comprising a longitudi- In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I havelhereto VafHXed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

. IVILLIAM NIERGARTH.

Titnessesz l Louis LTTICKEN, a

` JOSEPH SI-IUTTLEWORTH. 

